By Neil Shefferd |
Salt Lake City and Utah have set up a joint committee with a view to preparing a bid to host another Olympic or Paralympic Games.
The Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games will provide the city and state in the United States with expertise and leadership in preparation for a campaign to bring the event back to the region for the first time since 2002.
It was revealed last month that Salt Lake City is one of three cities to have expressed an interest in bidding for the 2030 Winter Olympics, along with Barcelona and Sapporo.
Sapporo, the Japanese city which hosted the 1972 Winter Olympic, appears to be the clear favorite but Salt Lake City could be in pole position for the 2034 edition of the Games.
The formation of the Committee comes after the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) named Salt Lake City as America’s Choice for a future bid, following a national selection process in December 2018.
“This Committee is an important next step for Utah, as the state of sport, to show that we continue to be ready, willing and able to play host to a future Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games,” Gary R. Herbert, the Governor of Utah, said.
The new Committee will be chaired by Cindy Crane, retired President and chief executive of Rocky Mountain Power.
Jeff Robbins, President and chief executive of the Utah Sports Commission, and Colin Hilton, President and chief executive of the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation, will serve as vice-chairs.
Fraser Bullock, managing director of Sorenson Capital, a capital market company, will act as President and chief executive.
Bullock was the chief operating officer of Salt Lake City 2002, the last time they hosted the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
A broader group of sport, business, Olympic and civic leaders will comprise the overall Committee featuring 10 Olympic and Paralympic athletes, who together boast 34 medals between them.
“In 2002 Salt Lake City took great pride in welcoming the world,” said Erin Mendenhall, the recently appointed Mayor of Salt Lake City.
“We are ready to welcome the world again as a returning host of a future Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
“Our beautiful city has so much to offer our worldwide guests, including the added benefit of our existing Olympic facilities and infrastructure.
“I feel very strongly about our bid potential.”
Beijing is due to host the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Milano and Cortina d’Ampezzo, in Italy, won the rights to the 2026 Winter Games last summer.
Los Angeles has already been named as the host of the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympics.
A future bid will also be guided by a host of stakeholders including the Utah Sports Commission, Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation, the USOPC, the winter sport national governing bodies and Utah public officials.
Republished with permission from insidethegames.biz.